Flyers' Claude Giroux scores sneaky goal on faceoff (VIDEO)

Claude Giroux broke his six-game goal-scoring drought with what might be the most unique goal of the year.

The Flyers captain lined up for a faceoff against the Sharks on the offensive side of the ice and put his hand on his stick as though he would be sending it back to one of his teammates. But as soon as the puck hit the ice, Giroux deftly shot the puck towards San Jose goalie Martin Jones, who was caught slightly off guard.

Jones tried to knock the puck down with his mask, but instead deflected it between his own legs and in. 

Sneaky Claude Giroux is the best Claude Giroux pic.twitter.com/u2XDmYkfyd

— Sons of Penn (@SonsofPenn) December 31, 2015

And this was something Giroux apparently had up his sweater sleeve for a while. Flyers analyst Chris Therrien said he was informed that Giroux had been practicing that move for a while, and spent extra time on it during the Flyers' most recent practice.

So Giroux just straight up shot the puck into the net off a face-off. https://t.co/q8eXPtusdf

— NHL (@NHL) December 31, 2015

A goal is a goal, eh?

Flyers' Michael Raffl OK after bench collapse scare (VIDEO)

At first, when Michael Raffl suddenly slumped on the bench 2:58 into the second period of a 3-2 shootout victory over the Rangers, his Flyers teammates thought their left wing was just up to one of his old pranks. After all, the Austrian has been known for trying almost anything to get a laugh.

But it didn't take long before everyone quickly found out this was no joke. Something seemed to be seriously wrong with Raffl.

“I thought he was joking around and I told him to move,” said Flyers captain, Claude Giroux. “And I realized he wasn’t joking around.”

Raffl was woozy after skating into Jarret Stoll’s elbow moments earlier before coming off the ice and, while talking to Giroux, he suddenly passed out.

Michael Raffl leaves the bench in Philadelphia, pretty scary moment. https://t.co/weOSKsQcn7 .. GM Hextall says he's OK

— Bobby (@montrealdesign) October 25, 2015

"I told him to move," Giroux said. "Then I realized he wasn't joking around. Then I started freaking out and started yelling at (athletic trainer) Jimmy (McCrossin). It wasn't a fun moment. The whole team was pretty worried."

Screams could be heard from the Flyers bench as the Rangers began a power play. Players smacked their sticks on the boards and someone threw a glove on the ice to get the attention of officials, which led to a stoppage of play for about five minutes.

Here's the incidental elbow to Raffl's head by Stoll as he checked the New York forward from behind.

Possibly a 'delayed' concussion for Michael Raffl https://t.co/OGRmIorLBX #Flyers

— Bobby (@montrealdesign) October 25, 2015

Happily, for Raffl, he didn't even require a trip to a hospital.

"He's fine," GM Ron Hextall said. "I would not say that if he wasn't fine. Michael's fine."

It's still too early to tell though if Raffl will be good to go for the Flyers' next game, Tuesday night at home against the Devils.

But there was another good sign, claimed Hextall.

"I just talked to him," he said. "He's actually cracking jokes."